Improvement in screw-driver



v'WILLIAM Horen, or NEW HAVEN, coNNnoTICUT.

Letters PatentJVo. 91,634, dated June 22, 1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Horen, Vof New Haven, in the county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Screw-Drivers;- and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specicationin whiclrthe figure is a detail sec,-v

tional vie-w of my improved screw-driver.

The object of my invention is to effect certain irnprovelnents in the constructionof that class of screwdriverswhose bits are causedjio rotate by pressure applied to their'handles; and

It consists iu--thc construction and combination of the various parts of thetool, as hereinafter more fully described.

A is the handle of the screw-driver, which is peri forated longitudinally from its forward end, nearly to its other end, as shown in the figure.

'B is a tube, fitting into the perforation of the 11andle A, and kept from revolving in said handle by means of longitudinal fianges formed upon its sides, which enter longitudinal grooves in the interior surface of the handle A- v The tube B is slotted spirally, with two spiral slots, extending nearly from end to end of said tube.

'C is the bit of the screw-driver, the shank of which enters and fits into the tube B.

Through the inner end ofthe shank of -the bit C, is passed a pin,.o, the ends of which enter and move `back and forth through in the slots in the tube B, as

the shank of the oit C moves back and forth in the said tube B.

D is a coiled-wire spring, the inner end of which rests against the handle A,'at the inner end of the perforation in said handle, and its outer end rests against the inner end of the shank of the bit C, or against a circular' plate attached to the,-end of said shank.

E is a wire springycoiled around the shank of the bit B, and the .inner end of which rests against the pin c ofthe bit-shank C, when the bit is drawn out.

The outer end ofthe spring E rests against the cap E, attached to the forward end of the handle A, as shown in thedrawing.

By this construction, when the bit C is placed in4 the slot in the head ofthe screw, and the handle A is forced downward or forward, the shank C will be revolved, and drive the screw into the wood, and when the pressure is removed from said handle, the elasticity of the coiled spring D will revolve the handleA Vback to its former position, so thatthe screw may be 'forced further in, by again pressing down upon the said handle. y

For convenience in holding the bit 0 to its place in the head ofthe screw, while the handle A is allowed to revolve back, I provide a ring, a', which is arranged. on the lower portion of the handle A, and held in place by the Vferrule H, secured upon the handle inA any suitable or preferred manner. By holding the said ring with the thumb and fingers, the handle A may revolve back, while the bit C is held in place without removing the hand from said handle A.

In the sides of the tube B, at the outer ends ofthe slots in said tube, are formed notches b', into which,

when the ybit C is drawn fully ont, the pins c are forced and held by the elasticity of the spring E, form- Aing a longlscrew-driver with a stationary bit, with which screws may be'turned in or out, in the ordinary manner. i i

In the tube B, near the inner ends of the slots in the said tube, are formed notches b2, into which the pins o' may be allowed to enter, and in which they are held by the elasticity of the spring D, forming a short i screw-driver with a stationary bit, with which screws may be turned in or out, when only a slight forward pressure is required to be applied to said screws I am aware of the patent granted to Isaac Allard, .August 4, 1868, but as the same constitutes no part of my invention, Il claim nothing therein shown.

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-` The combination, with the handle A, ofthe ring a', spirally-slotted tube B, springs I) and E, cap F, and

bit C c, provided with the pin o', by which said hit is adapted to be rotated, and aise 'to be looked at the respective ends of the tube in the notches b, all constructed, arranged, and operating as set forth.

WILLIAM HOFER.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. Horen, O. E. Henna. 

